Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to efficient thermal-mechanical control of thermal energy flow paths in systems which require thermal energy transfer. The invention is directed to systems for the collection, storage, and transfer of solar heat energy, and more specifically to systems that control operating temperatures in enclosures.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many different types of solar heated and cooled enclosures and building structures have been proposed during the course of many years. The common elements for the utilization of solar energy include a solar heat collector, a storage unit, and a heat transfer conduit to transfer the thermal energy between the collector and the storage unit. Such a system, of course, requires a sophisticated control system for operating the heat transfer conduit and control unit in relation to the weather conditions, the heat demand of the structure, etc. When the units also include an air conditioner, such elements as a compressor, evaporator, cooling coils, and the like are in addition to the other elements. In each case the unit uses a substantial amount of energy for the operation of the elements for movement of the heat transfer conduit and for the control system for operations. Very few passive units for either solar heating or cooling have been found to be effective.
Within the prior art there are numerous examples of systems for thermal energy transfer and control of enclosures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,084 to Eckels, issued Oct. 10, 1978 is an earlier class of device directed to controlling temperature in small enclosures. A more recent example is prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,611 to Glover et al issued Aug. 15, 2000. One severe problem that the devices in this class do not address is the eventuality that the external ambient temperature is much lower than the desired internal temperature of the enclosure. In particular, prior art devices similar to that taught by Eckels would transfer the desirable internal heat to the outside by way of the very efficient solar collector that may also act as a thermal radiator.
Other recent examples of prior art enclosures for pets such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,436 to Duddleston issued Mar. 30, 1999, teach the use of thermoelectric coolers. These devices are highly inefficient and may generate ten times as much heat as the heat drawn away from the enclosure. In addition, devices based upon the teachings of Duddleston are not suitable for remote outdoor applications because they require very large, expensive, and short-lived batteries.
Many other prior art examples use air circulating through the enclosure for cooling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,036 to Blaser issued Dec. 13, 1983 discloses an energy efficient enclosure cooled by an envelope of circulating air. Humans and most animals alike do not like to be cooled in a constant stream of high velocity air. Bats in particular avoid moving air enclosures and prefer static air environments such as attics and caves.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is directed to providing housing for bat colonies. A multitude of housing designs have been tried to successfully lure bats to reside in an enclosure. One of the primary reasons bats choose a specific enclosure is the internal temperature and temperature range of the enclosure. One of the reasons for the multitude of bat house designs is the variety of thermal conditions in the world. Bat houses in the southern Unites States may require cooling vents to keep the structure from becoming too hot and the use of lighter colors to attenuate solar energy absorption. In the northern Unites States vents are eliminated and darker colors are used to maximize solar energy absorption. Most bat houses are much larger than the bats require, because the variance in temperature of the enclosure forces the bats to continually move to different areas of the enclosure that are within a comfortable temperature range. The physical location of the area within the enclosure of comfortable temperature changes during the day as the sun""s position changes and from day to day as the ambient air temperature changes. Often, many bat houses are initially erected in a specific location in order to find the single enclosure that the bats will reside in. In one experiment, three different bat houses were erected on a residential home. After a year with no habitation in any of the enclosures, bats were found to have started a colony in the attic of the home.
According to the present invention there is provided a passive solar heating and cooling system for buildings, structures, and enclosures, and this provides a major object and advantage of the invention.
Another object of the invention is to provide a controlling system for small enclosures such as dog houses, bat houses or the like, having means for heating, storage of solar thermal energy, and means for cooling the structure.
A further object of the invention is to automatically control the absorption and release of thermal energy from a structure in order to maintain the temperature of the structure within a desired and limited range.
Yet another object of the invention is to incorporate modular temperature control units such that by changing a module, the temperature range of the structure can be easily changed.
And still another object of the invention is to incorporate an easily adjustable solar collector that can be set for optimum efficiency with a single adjustment, so that combined with the modular temperature controller of the invention provides a universal basic enclosure.
An additional embodiment of the invention contains the basic elements of the thermal switches and thermally conductive structure configured as a dog house.
Heretofore, there has been no enclosure design that has provided the desirable universatility along with individualized heating and cooling control capacity taught by the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention an enclosure comprises thermal switches to control the absorption and dissipation of solar thermal energy, a thermal energy storage unit, a novel modular thermal switch, and thermally conductive walls to distribute the thermal energy evenly throughout the structure.